Top 10 Best Television Shows of the '90s

1. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

   

   The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The show starred Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself. It became a cultural touchstone and launched Smith's successful acting career.

   I love this show. This show should be number 1.

   This is where Will Smith was discovered. This show is total laughs.

2. The Simpsons

   

   The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening. It originally aired as shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show starting April 19, 1987, and debuted as a standalone series on December 17, 1989.

   As of 2026, it remains the longest-running animated sitcom. The show follows Homer Simpson... read more

3. The X-Files

   

   The X-Files is an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter. The original series aired on the Fox network from September 10, 1993, to May 19, 2002. It was later revived for two additional seasons in 2016 and 2018 and also inspired two theatrical films.

4. Seinfeld

   

   Four single friends, comic Jerry Seinfeld, bungling George Costanza, frustrated working gal Elaine Benes, and eccentric neighbor Cosmo Kramer, deal with the absurdities of everyday life in New York City.

   Seinfeld is a sitcom that originally aired on NBC from 1989 to 1998. It is often regarded... read more

   This is my favorite TV show and I am a 17-year-old female. I laugh every time I watch. My parents watched it back in the day and watch it with me sometimes. You cannot compare it to today's sitcoms.

5. Rugrats

   

   Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The show premiered in 1991 and follows a group of toddlers navigating life from their unique perspectives. It became one of Nickelodeon's most successful and longest-running animated... read more

6. Friends

   

   Friends is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. It originally aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, spanning ten seasons. As of April 2026, the series continues to be popular through syndication and streaming platforms, though it is no longer part of... read more

   Friends was an awesome show and should deserve to be number one. My favorite character is Joey Tribbiani because he's so funny and no one can touch his food.

   Second should be The Simpsons because that's where it all began for this successful family.

   F.R.I.E.N.D.S defined modern sitcoms. I don't know why modern shows like How I Met Your Mother can even be compared to it. To me, Friends will always be number one in my heart because no other show could have made me cry like that at the end.

   Yes. I honestly think that this is one of the best TV shows ever. The only thing that I'd change is that I'd take out all of the swearing, using God's name in vain, and sex.

7. Home Improvement

   

   Home Improvement is an American television sitcom starring Tim Allen that aired on ABC from September 17, 1991, to May 25, 1999. The show ran for eight seasons with a total of 204 half-hour episodes. It followed the life of Tim The Tool Man Taylor, a television show host and family man.

   This should be number 1. All 8 seasons were consistent and my favorite show of the '90s. In fact, it is still up there in my top 5 favorite shows of all time.

8. South Park

   

   South Park is an American adult animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. The show centers on four boys: Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick, and their adventures in the fictional town of South Park, Colorado. It's known... read more

9. Cheers

   

   Cheers is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for eleven seasons, from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association with Paramount Network Television. The show was created by James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles and is set in a Boston bar where a group... read more

10. Saved by the Bell

    

    Saved by the Bell is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from 1989 to 1993. It is a reboot of the Disney Channel series Good Morning, Miss Bliss and focuses on a group of high school students and their principal. The show primarily features lighthearted comedy but also touches on serious issues such... read more

    Great show. Funny and touching.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Roseanne

    

    Roseanne is an American television sitcom starring Roseanne Barr that revolves around the fictional Conner family. The series originally aired on ABC from 1988 to 1997 and was revived in 2018. It is known for its realistic portrayal of a working-class American family.

12. ?

    La Femme Nikita

The Contenders

13. Married... with Children

    

    Married. . with Children is an American live-action television sitcom that aired on Fox. Created by Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt, it was originally broadcast from April 5, 1987 to June 9, 1997. It is the longest-running live-action sitcom on Fox and was the first to be broadcast in the network's... read more

14. Beavis and Butt-Head

    

    Beavis and Butt-Head is an American animated sitcom created and designed by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge that originally aired on Liquid Television. The show became a cultural phenomenon in the 1990s and was revived for new seasons in the 2010s and... read more

15. Hey Arnold!

    

    Hey Arnold! is an American animated television series created by Craig Bartlett. It aired on Nickelodeon from October 7, 1996, to June 8, 2004.

    The show follows a fourth grader named Arnold who lives with his grandparents in an inner-city boarding house. It became known for its diverse cast of... read more

    At least it's way better than post-movie The Simpsons. Hey Arnold for the win.

16. SpongeBob SquarePants

    

    SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It has become one of Nickelodeon's most popular and longest-running shows, attracting both children and adults.... read more

17. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

    

    Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an American television series created by Joss Whedon under his production tag, Mutant Enemy Productions. Later co-executive producers included Jane Espenson, David Fury, David Greenwalt, Doug Petrie, Marti Noxon, and David Solomon. The series premiered on March 10, 1997,... read more

18. All That

    

    All That is an American live-action sketch comedy-variety show created by Dan Schneider, Brian Robbins, and Mike Tollin. It originally aired on Nickelodeon from April 16, 1994, to October 22, 2005, lasting ten seasons... read more

19. Daria

    

    Daria is an American animated sitcom created by Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis Lynn for MTV as a spin-off of Beavis and Butt-Head. It aired from March 3, 1997, to January 21, 2002, running for five seasons. The series centers on Daria Morgendorffer, a smart, sarcastic teenage girl navigating high school... read more

20. Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

21. Full House

    

    Full House is an American sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for ABC. The show chronicles a widowed father, Danny Tanner, who enlists his best friend and brother-in-law to help raise his three daughters. It originally aired from 1987 to 1995 and became a staple of family television during its run.

    As far as family shows go, it's probably the best one out there. I like how all the characters are likable, and every episode has a little life lesson. As the series progresses and D.J. and Stephanie get older, the show starts dealing with more important social issues such as peer pressure and underage drinking. It's very rare for family shows to tackle these sensitive issues, but Full House manages to do that perfectly.

    Sure, everyone learns their lesson at the end and the kids end up always making the right decisions somehow, which could be seen as highly unrealistic. But it still is a show with a lot of heart. It's the perfect show to watch when you just want to relax and forget about your problems for a little while.

    The humor is obviously very clean, so it can be very boring for older viewers. But still, that sense of nostalgia can make it enjoyable for every age. I loved the show growing up. Obviously, I don't like it as much as I did back then, but it still has a special place in my heart.

22. Freaks and Geeks

    

    Freaks and Geeks is an American teen comedy-drama television series, created by Paul Feig, with Judd Apatow as executive producer. It aired on NBC during the 1999-2000 television season. Despite only running for one season, it gained a strong cult following and helped launch the careers of several cast... read more

23. That '70s Show

    

    That '70s Show is an American television period sitcom that originally aired on Fox from August 23, 1998, to May 18, 2006. The series focuses on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin. The storyline is set between May 17, 1976, and December... read more

    This show is amazing! I love Kelso and Fez! I can't believe they kicked off Eric and Kelso in Season 8, but I'm happy they came back in the last episode.

24. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

    

    Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (often abbreviated to Law & Order: SVU or just SVU) is an American police procedural, legal, and crime drama television series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced. The show premiered on NBC on September 20, 1999. It is the longest-running primetime... read more

25. Pokémon

    

    Pokémon, abbreviated from the Japanese title Pocket Monsters and currently marketed in English as Pokémon: The Series, is a Japanese anime television series adapted for international audiences. It was first broadcast in Japan on April 1, 1997, and in the United States on September 8, 1998.... read more

26. Sister, Sister

27. The Powerpuff Girls

    

    The Powerpuff Girls is an American animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken for Cartoon Network. The main characters of the show are Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup. The story follows Professor Utonium, who accidentally creates three little superhero girls using a mixture of sugar,... read more